Bicyclist group demands changes to I-880 interchange

A cyclist advocacy group is demanding changes to an Interstate Highway 880 interchange in Hayward where two people have died and two suffered serious injuries in the past 20 months.

The deaths and injuries occurred on the Highway 880 interchange at Tennyson Road where there are two on-ramps and two exits, according to the group Bike East Bay.

A 47-year-old Hayward pedestrian was struck and seriously injured by a car last Wednesday on the northbound on-ramp. Earlier in October, 26-year-old Hayward resident Jose Hernandez was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver in the area.

Hernandez’s cousin America Enciso said in a statement:

“Like many people, Jose’s way to get to different locations was riding a bike. … It’s horrible that he and others have been killed and injured doing something so simple as going to work.”

Separately, 21-year-old Denesha Turner died on March 18, 2015, as she was pushing her 10-month old boy in a stroller across the same northbound on-ramp. Her son suffered critical injuries.

None of the four ramps have stop signs or traffic signals requiring drivers to stop and nothing will be done for at least three months, Bike East Bay officials said.

The work that will be done will be warning signs indicating that pedestrians and cyclists are in the area.

Bike East Bay leaders want Caltrans to fast-track the installation of the warning signs and possibly other measures to slow traffic ahead of the crosswalks.

They would also like to see Caltrans redesign the interchange because they see the cloverleaf design as flawed, Bike East Bay advocacy manager Cynthia Armour said.

Officials with Caltrans were not immediately available to comment.

Bike East Bay officials asked Caltrans and the city of Hayward to improve the freeway junctions, but said neither released any plans until Monday when they announced the proposal to install the warning signs, according to the group.

Caltrans is also considering two projects that would start in February 2018 and improve safety.

One would install high-visibility crosswalks and flashing beacons at all on- and off-ramps. The other project would remove the high-occupancy vehicle lanes before the crosswalks, which would mean pedestrians only have to cross one lane instead of a regular lane and an HOV lane, according to Bike East Bay.

Hayward City Manager Kelly McAdoo said in a statement:

“There are no quick or easy solutions to addressing some of the safety concerns identified by the community, but the city is committed to evaluating options and working with interested groups on these concerns.”